Real Talk With Kasey

Scars

18October 2018October 18, 2018

For our twentieth wedding anniversary Brad and I spent two weeks in Hilton Head. Beach tradition is that you rent bikes and ride everywhere you go. Often you find yourself one on one with a car. Having not ridden a bike for a good ten years, I hurried across the street and tried to make a sharp right turn. This effort was to stay on the sidewalk and off of the road which was filled with large SUV’s. I did make the turn but I also sliced my leg on a protruding wooden wall in the yard directly in front of me. A scrape of skin came off in a nice horizontal line that immediately bubbled up. Putting on a brave face I wanted to enjoy each moment with Brad so we rode on through neighborhood after neighborhood admiring the houses with beachside pools and outdoor kitchens while enjoying the hot sun and the salt filled air conditioning our bodies. My cut stung every now and then but for the sake of our vacation and my pure enjoyment of my location, I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it and just kept riding.

The following morning I turned over in bed with a view of the golf course and realized that I could not move my leg without some degree of pain. I was shocked to look down and see the depth of my cut and the extreme bruising that had occurred only the day before. I immediately texted a picture to of the damage my sister who was a nurse practitioner and she quickly let me know that it was infected. It turns out that salty sweat isn’t the best for an open cut. She gave me instructions for taking care of my cut and so I basically put ointment on it and covered it up for the rest of the trip. If it hurt, I just took an Advil and continued on with my vacation. Who wants to ruin a dream vacation for a cut that covers most of right thigh?

One year later I have a scar on my leg that rivals music artist Seal. It is a consistent reminder of that day.

It cautions me to remember what happens when we leave our wounds open to the elements of life and we do not adequately take care of them.

It warns me that one quick slice of a word or action can inflict extreme disfigurement if not properly cared for.

The scar notes that facing the hurts that we either inadvertently slide into or run straight towards must be attended.

The deterioration of our souls is too great to cover up with physical anointment and bandages.

We need One who attends to our wounds with His own. He is God Enough for our healing and He is God Alone who haunts us till full healing occurs.